Lubrication apparatus



May 30, 1939; R, STEWART 2,160,295

LUBRICATI 0N APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1957 I 5 Sheets-Sheet l F41 PH ,7 5 7271/4723- INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

May 30, 1939; R. T. STEWART LUBRICATION APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FuP/y STEM/4K7,

INVENTOR.

ATTQRNEY.

May 30, 1939. R TE ART 2,160,295

LUBRICATI ON APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 16, 19 37 INVENTOR.

BY 6D ATTORNEY.

May 30, 1939. R. T. STEWART LUBRI-CATYION APPARATUS Filed J1me 16, 1957 5 SheetsSheet 4 Pan/7. 5751/4/22;

1N VENTOR.

7 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 1939 :UNITEDFSTATES' PATENT OFFICE 2,160,295 LUBRICATION APPARATUS Ralph T. Stewart, Winston-Salem, N. C., assig-nor 1 to Radiator Specialty Company, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application June 16, 1937, Serial No. 143,611 9 Claims. (01. 221-471) This invention relates to a lubrication apparatus and more especially to a wheeledportable lubrication apparatus having a lubricant pump mounted thereon and having a lubricant container associated with the pump and provided with a discharge or delivery hose connected to said pump, said pump having a piston connected to another piston forming a movable head mounted in one end of a cylinder and said cylinder having a second piston therein driven by a prime mover such as a gasoline engine with said pistons in said cylinder having an adjustable discharge or pressure release valve whereby the amount of pressure built up between the piston connected to the prime mover and the piston connected to the lubricant pump can be adjusted.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lubrication apparatus comprising a wheeled truck having a lubricant pump mounted thereon,

a prime mover for driving the lubricant pump and air cushioning means disposed between the prime mover and the lubricant pump whereby the lubricant pump is driven by the air pressure built up by the prime mover and also whereby the lubri'cant pump is automatically operated'in accordance with the amount of lubricant which is allowed to discharge from the discharge end of the lubricant delivery hose.

It is another object of this invention to provide a portable lubricant pump driven by a prime mover and comprising a, pneumatic apparatus having a piston in both ends of the same, one piston being driven by the prime mover and the other piston being driven by compressed air generated by the piston driven by the prime mover with apressure release valve and whereby, when the pressure has been built up in the lubricant discharge lineto a predetermined amount, stoppage of the lubricant pump will automatically 0 cease while the prime mover continues to run and upon discharge being made from the lubricant pump a release in pressure in the discharge line will cause immediate renewal of operation of the lubricant pump so that the lubricant is kept under an approximately constant pressure in the discharge hose.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with 5 the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side' elevation of my lubrication apparatus; 7

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the lubrication apparatus;

Figure 3 is a sectional, front end view of the lower portion of the lubrication apparatus and taken along line 3-3 in Figure 1 showing the front portion of the wheel truck;

Figure 4 is a vertical, sectional view taken along the line 44 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal, sectional view showing portions in elevation and being taken along the line 66 in Figure 2; l0

Figure 7 is a vertical, sectional view taken along the line l--'! in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the 15 numeral l0 indicates a suitable lubricant container having a lid H and a follower lid l'2being secured to a lubricant pump housing l4. Lubricant pump'housing I4 is secured by any suitable means such as bolts l5 to the side frame mem 20 hers I 6 and I1, the front ends of said frame members l6 and I! being joined by front end member Ill. The rear ends of side frame members It and I! are suitably connected to a rear axle It on which wheels 20 and 2| are rotatably mount- 25 ed. Secured to the lower front edges of side frame members l6 and i1 and to the lower edge of front member i8 is a plate 22 against which a caster frame 24 is pivotally mounted by bolt 25. Caster frame 24 on the upper surface thereof has 30 a raceway in which balls 26 are mounted. .The caster frame is forked at its lower end and has a pin 21 penetrating the same on which 'a bearing 28- is mounted which is penetrated by axle 29 which is secured in position by any suitable means 35 such as set screw 29a. The axle 29 has mountedon the outer ends thereof wheels 30 and 3|.

Caster frame 24 has a pair of spaced forks 32- and 33 penetrated by a. pin 340, on which is mounted a draft bar or tongue 34. This mount- 40 ing of the front axle allows vertical movement of the front wheels without appreciably raising the frame.

Mounted on the rear end of the frame members l6 and I! isa suitable prime mover such as a 45 gasoline engine 35' which has a drive shaft 36, on one end of which may be mounted a suitable rope starter pulley 31. A balance wheel 31a is also mounted upon shaft 36 to give the proper momentum to the moving parts of the prime mover.

On the other end is mounted a pinion 38 which meshes with a pinion 39 mounted for rotation on a stud shaft 40, pinion 39 having integral therewith pinion 4! which meshes with a large gear 42 fixedly mounted on a crank shaft 43 which 55.

prising disks 48 crank shaft is mounted in bearings 44 and 45 on top of side frame members I6 and I1, respectively.

Crank shaft 43 has a crank throw therein comand 49 having a pin 50 bridging the gap therebetween on which one end of connecting rod is mounted for rotation. Connecting rod 5I has its other end secured on a wrist pin 52 mounted in piston 53 which is mounted for reciprocatory movementwithin cylinder 54. Piston 53 has suitable rings 55 therearound. Cylinder 54 has a plurality of lugs 56, 51, 58 and 59 projecting therefrom which rest on top of side frame members I6 and II, and bolts 60 penetrate these lugs and the side frame members for securing the cylinder 54 in position.

The cylinder 54, at its right-hand end in Figures 2 and 6, is slotted as at 62 and 63 to prevent the connecting rod 5|, in its reciprocation and oscillation, from engaging the sidewalls of the cylinder. The cylinder 54 also has an intake port 64 which may be of any desired size to allow the breaking of the vacuum and intake of a fresh supply, of air when the piston is drawn all the way to the right in Figure 6. The cylinder 54 also has a plurality of cooling vanes 65 therearound on its exterior.

At the left-hand end of the cylinder in Figure 6, there are two projections 61 and 68 in which pins 69 and are fixedly secured. A piston II is mounted for reciprocation in the left hand end of the cylinder in Figure 6, and has suitable rings I2 therearound. The piston H has an internal projection I4 in which is loosely mounted a lubricant pump piston by means of a nut I6. This is a loose fit to allow lateral and longitudinal movement within a limited extent between piston II and lubricant pump piston I5. Lubricant pump housing I4 has a suitable barrel 80 therein which has a cross port 8i for the admission of lubricant into the barrel 80. The right-hand end of this barrel in Figure 6, is capped by a threaded cap 82. A suitable packing 83 is disposed within the cap and around lubricant piston 15.

Piston 1| has a skirt as on the left-hand end V thereof in Figure 6, which is loosely and slidably penetrated by the pins or bolts 69 and I0. These bolts or pins 69 and 10 are considerably longer than piston II and have on the left-hand end thereof in Figure 6, compression springs 66 and 81 confined by suitable cotter pins 88 and 89 in the extreme left-hand end of the pins 69 and 10. The purpose of these compression springs being to limit the travel of piston II to the left inFlgure 6, to prevent it from being forced outside the cylinder 54. At a point disposed between the proximate faces of pistons 53 and II, there is a port 90 into which-is screwed a fitting 9|, said fitting 9I having a bore 92 therethrough with a ball 93 resting on its upper end. Threadably secured to the upper end of fitting 9| is a shell or casing 94 having ports 95 in the lower portion thereof for the escape of air and also having a vertically disposed slot 96 in which a projection or guide 91 is adapted to have ver-- tical sliding movement. This projection 91 has a pointer 98 secured thereon by means of screw 99 which also penetrates a member I00 threadably disposed around a pin IOI having a knurled nut I02 secured on the upper end thereof as by pin I03. This pin IOI has an enlargement I04 there-v around immediatelymbelow the restricted upper end of casing 94.

Secured to ball 93 is a member I05 and disample, when valve posed between members I05 and I00 is a com pression spring I06, the purpose of said spring being to normally force ball 93 to seated position under a pressure proportionate to the position of member I00 as it is adjusted by turning handle I02. On the exterior of casing 94 is a suitable scale I08 for cooperation with pointer 98 whereby the apparatus can be set to allow escape of air pressure from the cylinder at a predetermined setting of pounds per square inch.v

Cylinder 54, at the same cross sectional point as port 90 has a port IIO into which is threadably fitted a suitable fitting III to which is connected a valve fitting I I2 having valve I I3 therein and to the other end of valve fitting H2 is secured a suitable hose such as a rubber air line hose II4 having a conventional valve H5 at its extreme end adapted .to fit the intake valve as in automobile tires and the like, so that the apparatusmay also be used as a compressor for inflating automobile tires when the pressure has been built up toa predetermined point in the discharge hose line and while the apparatus is not being used for lubrication purposes, as for ex- II9, to be described later, is closed.

Threadably secured in the discharge end of barrel 80 is a fitting H6 and to-the other end of this fitting H6 is threadably secured a member II'I having a vertically disposed passageway therethrough, and a port II8 forms communication between the interior passageway in member H6 and the vertically disposed passageway in member I". In the lower end of member III is threadably secured a needle valve II9 having a suitable packing nut I therearound. This needle valve is adapted to be adjusted to regulate the valve opening at point I2I. Also, member III has a transverse passageway I with an oblique passageway I26 communicating therewith and a needle valve H1 is threadably mounted in enlarged outer portion of passageway I25 and whereby the size of the opening between passageways I25 and I26 may be effectively adjusted. Immediately above the point of contact of needle valve II9 with the passageway in member III an enlarged portion appears in is disposed and is resting on-the upper end of restricted passageway I2I. This ball Iis normally pressed downwardly by means of a compression spring I32; The upper end of compression spring I32 is contacted by a ball I33 which rests at the bottom end of 'an enlarged passageway I34 which is larger than passageway III and a compression spring I has its lower end resting on the upper portion of ball I33. A hollow plug I31 is threadably secured in the upper end of passageway I34 and normally forces the ball I33 downwardly against its seat and this, in turn, forces ball I30 downwardly against its seat. These balls serve as check valves to prevent back pressure in the lubrication line from having effect on the pump piston 15.

The upper end of plug I31 has a conventional swivel joint I disposed therearound to which is connected a conventional lubrication hose I which extends to a suitable conventional discharge nozzle adapted to engage a suitable fitting on bearings of automobiles and other machinery so that when the fitting is in place, on the bearing, the lubricant may be discharged by conventional release means, not shown.

Method of operation While in operation, the gasoline engine or other which a ball I30 2,160,295 prime mover will run continuously, reciprocating piston 53. "During the travel of piston 53 to the right in Figure 6, therewill bea partial vacuum created which will pull piston H to dotted-line I50, which will pull the. left-hand end of pump piston- 15 to the right, past the port arena draw a charge of lubricant into the bore in barrel 80. When. the piston 53 has traveled to its extreme right-hand position in Figure 6, which is to the dotted line |5l,'the vacuum between the pistons 53 and 1| will-be broken and air under atmos-- hose, then the length of stroke of piston 15 will decrease until reciprocation of the pump-will" entirely cease, and as-thelength of stroke of the pump piston decreases, air will be allowed to escape through port 92, (Figure 5), depending upon the setting of thegauge 98. When lubricant is released from the hose I this will lower I the pressure in the hose and thus piston 15 will again reciprocate, the length of its stroke being controlled by the amount of lubricant released from the hose. It is thus seen that there will be no wide differential in pressure in the delivery hose, but on'the other hand, the pressure in the delivery hose will remain'practically constant for the reason that the instant the pressure falls in'the delivery hose line, this *will automatically allow movement of the pump piston and thus the escaping air will be diminished temporarily or entirely stopped, as its power will be utilized in pumping lubricant instead'of allowing the'same to escape through port 92. The greatdifierence in areas of piston H and pump piston 15 will give great pressure in-the delivery hose as 100 pounds pressure in the cylinder will give more than 10,000 pounds pressure in the delivery hose. The amount of pressure given to the lubricant can be controlled by the setting of valve 102, to allow escape of air from between the pistons at the desired pressure. a v

In the event that an electrical motor should be employed instead of an internal combustion engine, it is evident that the piston 1| could be utilized to hold a switch open to stop the motor and upon pressure being lowered in the delivery hose the piston 1| would move and the electric motor would start, thus eliminating the necessity for an electric motor running continuously; 4

There are also internal combustion engines which start automatically upon the closing of a circuit leading thereto, as for example, rural lighting plants. This type of internal combustion engine could be utilized and the position of the piston H could be utilized for starting and stopping this type of internal combustion engine.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Lubrication apparatus comprising a lubricant pump, a delivery hose connected to the out-- cylinder and having a lateral put. sideotsaid pump, a cylinder open at both ends and-unobstructed throughout its leng'th, a

piston disposed at one end and connected to said pump, asecond piston mounted'in the other end of said cylinder andhav'ingconnections with a prime mover for driving thesame'to create air pressure between the two pistons'for reciprocating said pump,'the first piston projecting beyond the open end of the" cylinder and having a lateral projection thereon, 'a guide projecting from the exterior of the cylinder,- and slidably penetrating said projection, and resilient means on the guide forlimiting the outward movement or the firs piston; V

2. Lubrication apparatus comprising a lubri cantpump,- a delivery hose connected to the a second piston" mounted in the other end of output sideof said pump, a cylinder open from one end to the outer end and having a piston" said cylinder and having connections with a prime mover for driving the same to create-air pressure between the two pistons for reciprocating said pump, 4. and means permitting escape of compressed air from the space between the two pistons whensaid compressed air has been compressed to a predetermined pressure, the first piston projecting beyond the open end of the projection thereon, a guide projecting from the exterior of the cylinder, andslidably penetrating said projection, and resilient means on the guide for limiting the outwardmovementof the first piston.

3. Lubrication apparatus comprising a lubricant pump, a cylinder open through its entire length,

a piston mounted for reciprocation in one end of the cylinder and having a connection with the lubricant pump, a second piston mounted in the other end of the cylinder for reciprocatory movement therein, a prime mover for imparting reciprocatory movement to the second piston to compress the air between thetwo pistons to move 'the'first piston to thereby operate the pump.

4. Lubrication apparatus comprising an interlubricant pump, a pneunal combustion engine, a

matic engine disposed between the pump and the internal combustion engine for driving the pump, and adjustable'means for allowing escape of air from the pneumatic engine when the pump has built up a predetermined pressure in the lubricant.

5. Lubrication apparatus comprising a lubricant pump having a delivery hose connected to the output side of the pump, a pump piston, a compressor having av reciprocating piston driven by the engine, and also having a piston connected to said pump piston, said compressor having an adjustable release valve, the stroke of the pump piston being governed by the pressure built up in the delivery hose, the compressed air between the compressor-piston and the piston connected to the pump piston being adapted to escape through said valve when the pressure in the delivery hose equals that in the space between the compressor piston and the piston connected to the pump piston.

6. Lubrication apparatus comprising an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having its ends open, a piston mounted for reciprocation on one end of the cylinder and having operative connection with said engine, a movable head mounted in the other end of the cylinder, a lubricylinder upon completion of a compression stroke I of said piston.

'7. Lubrication apparatus comprising a lubricant pump'having a plunger, a cylinder open from one end to the other and having a movable head in one end thereof and having a portion thereof disposed at all times on the exterior of the cylinder and-having another portion provided with compression rings and adapted to have reciprocatory movement within one end of the cylinder, a connection between said head and said plunger, guide means disposed in parallel relation-to the 1ongitudinal center of the cylinder and disposed outside the circular plane defined by the walls of the cylinder, projections on that portion of the head which is outside the cylinder and which are penetrated by the said guide means, a. compressor piston mounted for reciprocatory movement in the other end of the cylinder for forming an air cushion between the piston and the head for propelling the head in one direction when the compressor piston is moving in one direction and for moving the head by suction when the piston moves in the other direction, and resilient means disposed on said guide means and engageable by said projection on said head after the head has travelled a substantial distance under a compression stroke of the piston for arresting tory movement within one end of the cylinder, a connection between said head and said plunger, guide means disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal center of the cylinder and disposed outside the circular plane defined by the walls of the cylinder, projections on that portion of the head which is outside the cylinder and which are penetrated by the said guide means, a compressor piston mounted for reciprocatory movement in the other end of the cylinder for forming an air cushion between the piston and the head for propelling the head in one direction when the compressor piston is moving in one direction and for moving the head by suction when the piston moves in the other direction, resilient means disposed on said guide means and engageable by said projection on said head after the head has travelled a substantial distance under a compression stroke of the piston, for arresting movement of the head, and a relief valve disposed between the piston and the head for allowing escape of compressed air from the space between the piston and the head when thepressure has reached a predetermined point.

9. Lubrication apparatus comprising a cylinder open at both ends and unobstructed throughout its interior, a piston mounted for sliding movement in one end of the cylinder and having a lateral projection on its outer end outside the cylinder, a rod secured to said cylinder and extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal center of the cylinder and slidably penetrating said projection for guiding said piston, a pump having a plunger connected at one end to said piston, a second piston mounted for reciprocation in the other end of the cylinder for compressing the air between the pistons and moving said first piston and its plunger in one direction to perform a'pumping stroke and serving to pull the first piston into the cylinder by suction on the return stroke of the second piston, an adjustable relief valve communicating with the space between the two pistons, the length of stroke of the first piston being regulated by the pressure built up by the pump and the setting of the relief valve.

RALPH T. STEWART. 

